Full Charge Bookkeeper Job Description

by Maria Christensen, Demand Media

A typical full charge bookkeeper is solely responsible for the accounting functions in a small business.

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The role of a full charge bookkeeper in a small business is more complex than that of a regular bookkeeper and carries more responsibility. A full charge bookkeeper handles all of the accounting needs of a company, including the preparation of financial statements. The role is most often found in small to midsize companies that don't need an accountant or controller. A full charge bookkeeper reports directly to the owner of the company or the highest level of management and often works with an outside CPA firm to prepare financial statements and tax returns at the end of the year.

Education and Experience

The minimum education requirement for a full charge bookkeeper is a high school diploma, but most need further education or certification to find employment. An associate's or bachelor's degree in a field such as accounting or business is often required by employers. A certification, such as the Certified Bookkeeper designation provided by the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers, is sufficient for some employers. Most companies prefer that full charge bookkeepers combine advanced education or certification with experience in the field. It is not an entry-level position. Advanced accounting software training and experience is also helpful for job seekers.

Bookkeeping

Full charge bookkeepers generally handle the full cycle of accounting duties or supervise others in the basic tasks, such as accounts payable. They code and enter vendor and expense invoices, run checks, bill customers and clients, and prepare bank deposits, ensuring that the correct general ledger accounts are debited or credited accordingly. They process employee timesheets, run payroll checks and prepare monthly and quarterly tax returns. A full charge bookkeeper typically handles all of a company's banking needs, including reconciling monthly bank statements and monitoring cash flow.

General Ledger

A full charge bookkeeper delves much deeper into the general ledger than a regular bookkeeper. Journal entries are prepared and entered by the full charge bookkeeper for accounts such as fixed assets and depreciation. At the end of each month, a trial balance is run to verify that general ledger accounts are in balance. The full charge bookkeeper analyzes the trial balance and makes any necessary adjusting journal entries to correct discrepancies. Generally, the owner or management of the company, or an outside CPA firm, will approve the finished trial balance before the bookkeeper closes the books for the month.

Financial Statements

The balance sheet and income statement are financial statements typically prepared by a full charge bookkeeper at the end of the month. They are run after the books are closed and are submitted to a CPA to verify accuracy and then to the owners or management to apprise them of the financial health of the company. The bookkeeper may also run a cash-flow statement and a statement of owner's equity, depending on the needs and structure of the company. Owners or management may request periodic reports from the full charge bookkeeper, such as job-cost reports or sales reports.

Supervision

In a smaller company, the full charge bookkeeper might work alone to process all the company's basic bookkeeping and financial reporting, but in a mid-size firm, bookkeeping clerks or administrative assistants may help with basic tasks. These could include data entry of accounts payable invoices and preparing bank deposits. The full charge bookkeeper will supervise these employees, helping to organize work flow and verifying accuracy of work. Some full charge bookkeepers in small companies wear many hats, working or supervising in areas such as purchasing, inventory and human resources.

About the Author

Since 1997, Maria Christensen has written about business, history, food, culture and travel for diverse publications, including the "Savannah Morning News" and "Art Voices Magazine." She authored a guidebook to Seattle and works as the business team lead for a software company. Christensen studied communications at the University of Washington and history at Armstrong Atlantic State University.

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